US budget: Talks go on as government shutdown looms

Republicans and Democrats have offered starkly different reasons for an impasse in talks on US spending cuts as the clock ticks down towards a government shutdown.

Top Democratic leader Harry Reid said both sides had agreed to $38bn (£23bn) in cuts but were unable to agree on federal funding for abortion.

But House Speaker John Boehner said the main issue was the level of cuts.

Steve Kingstone reports.